Nashville Bits and Pieces

[MidTenn1]

Not sure where to post this story...

 

From WKRN

 

The James K Polk Building was evacuated when it apparently started shaking and swaying.

 

 

[BnaBreaker]

Uh...what??  There wasn't an earthquake there today was there?

[satalac]

A bit disheartening, especially due to it's construction type.

[rookzie]

Just hope it can last at least another 7 years, when I might decide to retire.  I work in that short, squatty structure immediately to the north and west across Deaderick St.:  The Rachel Jackson State Bldg, only 8 stories.

 

Many of us remember well back in 1980 when that site was just a big multi-story deep pit, after they tore down the old Andrew Jackson Hotel (just northeast caddywumpus from the now restored Hermitage Hotel).  I'll probably get "whooped" for saying this, but the Polk Bldg. now looks rather shabby and outdated and out of style.  (Davy Crockett and Andrew Johnson, also built during the '80s have been problematic as well, while of no surprise to me)

 

 

From Tennessee Fiscal Review - July 2013

(http://www.capitol.tn.gov/joint/committees/fiscal-review/archives/108ga/presentations/Fiscal%20Review%20Presentation%20v07152013%20FINAL.pdf)

 

Windows Falling Out of the James K. Polk Building

 

April 17, 2011 – A glass window fell out of the building – the 11th window to fall out.
Wind speed was only 25mph and not the cause of this event or any other windows
that fell....one of many windows where the glass and frame were separated

by ½ inch or more.

 

-==-

Edited September 25, 2014 by rookzie

[Neigeville2]

Sounds like they made some mistakes when they built this building, the biggest one being the way it addresses (or doesn't) the street.

[fieldmarshaldj]

^That building has always creeped me out, the way it is perched precariously on that shaft. It's also just not very attractive with all that bare/blank exposed concrete, all looking (deliberately) unfinished.

[BnaBreaker]

That building style really doesn't make for a very active base at street level, but there is something about that style of architecture that has always captured my attention since I was young.  One of my favorite skyscrapers in the world shares that design.  The Citigroup Center in New York.  It was built like this because the city wouldn't let CitiBank demolish a historic church to build their skyscraper, but did give them air rights above it.  Pretty interesting, in my opinion.  If a company wants to be in a city bad enough, they will compromise.  Not something you'd hear about Nashville doing.  'Oh, what's that Walgreen's?  You want to demolish a historic apartment building to put up one of your cookie cutter pharmacies that we already have thirty of?  No problem!  Break out the wrecking ball!'

 

Edited September 25, 2014 by BnaBreaker

[rookzie]

^That building has always creeped me out, the way it is perched precariously on that shaft. It's also just not very attractive with all that bare/blank exposed concrete, all looking (deliberately) unfinished.

 

Amen!  And that's one of the main reasons that, as a state office building, a state museum, and a playhouse, it is a looming eyesore which daily I cannot avoid.  All that sculptured, or rather cast, concrete does nothing for the base level, and detracts immensely from the tower that looms above.  The tower itself (which really is the essential part of the Polk office bldg. itself, is not really that bad looking, and does offer an interesting exposed cantilever design at the roof (although IMO apparently not necessarily implemented with lasting quality and longevity, for a structure of its size).

 

As you indicate, it does look intentionally unfinished, particularly from the vantage of street level the exposed under-surface overhang beneath the tower (and does absolutely no good for looks these days).  As concrete ages, it starts to look slummy and seedy, particularly with grime and effluents of residue from sealants and other compounds, which often streak vertically along such surfaces during the weathering process.  This is often quite noticeable along light-colored surfaces, but also with darker colored brick when light-colored sealants and coatings are used (another one of my peeves).

 

The state really could have benefited from having an entirely separate museum or multiple museums.  The capital city of Raleigh has done a great job of doing just this, and during the late '90s the state of NC several times has expanded its natural history museum to include several floors of many diaramas, a sizable exihbit of dinos, and even a few walk-in live-critter enclosures.  This alone far exceeds what  the Polk Bldg. has to offer in terms of downtown tourism for attracting all ages.  And if they hadn't torn down all the theater houses downtown, particularly the former Tennessee Theater inside the (razed) Sudekum Bldg., then the TPAC (Tenn. Perorming Arts Center), which is a private non-profit, could have been housed in a much more alluring facility, in my honest opinion (like the Orpheum on So. Main in Memphis).

 

-==-

 

 

...  If a company wants to be in a city bad enough, they will compromise.  Not something you'd hear about Nashville doing.  'Oh, what's that Walgreen's?  You want to demolish a historic apartment building to put up one of your cookie cutter pharmacies that we already have thirty of?  No problem!  Break out the wrecking ball!'

 

As you probably know about in Chicago, Walgreens did a killer job with their new flagship store in leased space at the ground level floor of the Wrigley Bldg. on North Michigan.  IMO, that's a fantastic repurposing of space in an historic landmark (a striking one at that!).  It's even got two separate entrances with two separate cashier checkouts, a walk-in beer and wine cooler, and deli sandwich-, soft-frozen yogurt-, smoothie-, and sushi counter, along with other enhanced pharmaceutical interaction with customers.  The store has employed use of indirect lighting, gradient color scheme, and a mosaic floor pattern representing the iconic clock seen at the top of the Wrigley Bldg, currently still in process of undergoing a capital renovation.  Outside seating and tables is provided on the plaza level between the two main sections of the building.  This thing truly blew my mind (as it was badly needed to replace an older store tacked on to the nearby Charles Schwab Bldg.).  This really is a portfolio case to what Walgreens can do to an historic building anywhere, if they put their mind to it.

 

-==-

[donNdonelson2]

^That building has always creeped me out, the way it is perched precariously on that shaft. It's also just not very attractive with all that bare/blank exposed concrete, all looking (deliberately) unfinished.

The floors of the office building are not actually perched atop the tower's central shaft, but rather suspended from it:

"The building's unique construction has a center core that resembles a box made from structural steel from the ground to top floor. Starting at the top, each floor is supported by hanging from the core. This design leaves the area surrounding the core on the ground levels open and free from any columns." (from James K Polk building wikipedia page)

This unique construction method/building design was essential due to the desire to have the auditoriums of the theatres below the tower free of any support columns that would block views of the stages.

The Tennessee Performing Arts Center was the very first state funded P.A.C. built in the USA and operates under a public/private partnership. Martha Ingram, Nashville's "patron saint" of the arts, was the driving force behind the state's agreement to incorporate an arts component into the Polk building. Would independent buildings to house the theatres and the museum be preferable? Oh, absolutely! But, I think we did the best we could do given the reality of the times. Perhaps we will see a new State Museum complex in our lifetimes. (I hope to see it in MY lifetime--I'm probably older than many of you.)

Edited September 25, 2014 by donNdonelson2

[nashmoney]

Nashville airport first in U.S. to allow Uber, Lyft

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2014/09/25/nashville-airport-bna-uber-lyft-ride-sharing/16209319/

 

So I guess the airport authority approved them, but the city still has regulations to approve? Wouldn't the City Transportation board have to make them legal, before the airport does...since they have to drive on city streets.

 

Just wondering

[fieldmarshaldj]

That building style really doesn't make for a very active base at street level, but there is something about that style of architecture that has always captured my attention since I was young.  One of my favorite skyscrapers in the world shares that design.  The Citigroup Center in New York.  It was built like this because the city wouldn't let CitiBank demolish a historic church to build their skyscraper, but did give them air rights above it.  Pretty interesting, in my opinion.  If a company wants to be in a city bad enough, they will compromise.  Not something you'd hear about Nashville doing.  'Oh, what's that Walgreen's?  You want to demolish a historic apartment building to put up one of your cookie cutter pharmacies that we already have thirty of?  No problem!  Break out the wrecking ball!'

The irony is that they actually demolished the old church on the property at the same time and built that new, modernist hideous triangle thing at the one corner underneath. Citigroup is an interesting building, but it does appear "balanced" with the legs underneath it in addition to the central shaft/core. Plus, they could fill in the underneath section at some future point if they wanted to do a substantive makeover at street level. In the case of the Polk Tower, that's not an option, especially since it sits upon the sarcophagus of TPAC below. That recent glass addition at the corner (to me) was merely putting lipstick on a pig. The whole thing from top to bottom (especially the soul-killing section along Union) is just the worst example of bad '70s architecture and disengagement from the surrounding urban environment. I'd have rather kept what stood on that block beforehand and designed something completely different (and welcoming) for another downtown location.

[gannman]

Nashville airport first in U.S. to allow Uber, Lyft

 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2014/09/25/nashville-airport-bna-uber-lyft-ride-sharing/16209319/

 

So I guess the airport authority approved them, but the city still has regulations to approve? Wouldn't the City Transportation board have to make them legal, before the airport does...since they have to drive on city streets.

 

Just wondering

 

Was it not legal before? I've definitely taken both to the airport and back home multiple times.

 

Nevermind. According to the article they are allowing a "continued" service that will now include a 3.50 dollar fee.

Edited September 25, 2014 by gannman

[Guest]

A nice shout out for Nashville....

http://www.movoto.com/nashville-tn/nashville-tlapse/

[dxfret]

More coverage of all things Nashville in this front page article in the Sunday NEW YORK TIMES.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/28/us/as-music-row-shifts-to-condo-row-nashville-cries-in-its-beer.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share

[henburg]

Does anybody know why there are fireworks going off downtown right now?

[nashvillwill]

Does anybody know why there are fireworks going off downtown right now?

I can hear them on the east side as well. Last time I hear fireworks on a random night, it had something to do with the TV show "Nashville".

[Guest]

no clue but they are pretty

[dmillsphoto]

You mean... these fireworks? 

 

[Hey_Hey]

My daughter and I watched them from her bedroom window.  It seems very odd that they would be shooting them off on a Tuesday night.

[CenterHill]

I watched from my office. It rivaled the 7/4 show for quality and how long it went on! No idea why. Was there any announcement that these were coming??

Edited October 1, 2014 by CenterHill

[titanhog]

Had to be for Nashville, right?

[captainwjm]

Fireworks have been part of several convention openings, too. That was our speculation.

[Vrtigo]

Fireworks have been part of several convention openings, too. That was our speculation.

 

Wait... You mean we actually got a convention?

 

I thought maybe they had something to do with the Predators season ramping up.

[e-dub]

i didn't hear them at all?

[dmillsphoto]

Okay, I found it out. Buddy Lee Attractions 50th anniversary.